If you have just listed your profile in Upwork and wanted to penetrate more into the business ! You are at the right place!
Here you will get to know, What are Upwork connects ? Why you require them ? What is the least number connects you require? etc. etc.
I know you have probably got an email asking you to submit proposal for a job. But when you are about to submit you got "connect" hahahaha ! what connect ?
Yes, connects in the context of Upwork . Let me explain you in a very simple manner.
See the various types of works in upwork were available to all.
Most of the time the new freelancers like me in the need of more money and work were applying randomly to all projects. So, upwork came with a plan to reduce this flow by restricting the freelancers to their related skills, their subject matter of expertise.
The plan was of "connects". These connects are virtual tokens for freelancers. With the help of them they can submit proposals to their jobs. With more number of freelancers entering into upwork day by day, Upwork came up with their new business idea of "connects" .
So, it is clear that without connect you can't submit a proposal for a job in Upwork.
Connects before & after May 2019On May 2019 , Upwork brought about certain changes in their "bidding work" protocols. Bidding here simply means a number of freelancers will display their offer that means the money they will charge for a particular proposal.
Before May 2019 , there was a per month limit to the number of jobs available. So, number of connects available per month were also limited. But after May 2019, Upwork withdrew their concept of free connects, a farewell!☹️ They tagged price to their connects $0.15 per connect. So, free connects became a history .
How Upwork connects work?
See you will have to buy connect. As a fresher you may get some free connects. Whenver you will receive money from a client Upwork will charged their part. Its like a fees you will then pay to Upwork. The average requirement of connects for a proposal is 2.
Exception: If the client invites a freelancer then in that case he/she needn't require a connect to submit a proposal.
Moreover if a client cancels a project in between , then the connects used by a freelancer don't get wasted. The same is returned for reuse.
Well Upwork has three types of freelancing accounts to be offered:
Monthly limit is 70. Unused get transferred to next month where the limit is again 140. And you can buy upto the limit 350. |
However I have been given 20 connects as a new freelancer to send proposals. This may vary or fixed I don't know right now. Suppose I apply for a project having 4 connects then I will have 16 connects left.You must adapt according to your freelance job platform. Turn as it turns.
In a 30 day period, if an individual freelancer wishes to apply for 60 jobs, taking 2 connects per job he will require 120 connects.
See its not an important matter how many connects one will acquire but the most important thing is the "conversion ratio" of your proposals. This simply means better performance satisfying your clients. Focus on performing the best with your skill and fewer connects and earn more money. So, try to give maximum with your minimum connects. I mean try writing quality proposals than writing more proposals. A good conversion ratio gives you the opportunity to perform task that require no connects at all.
Things to remember while bidding for a particular proposal/project:
#First see the number of connects the proposal demands.
#See if you have the requisite number of connects in your account.
#Then proceed for bidding.
#After bidding just check if the same number of connects have been subtracted from your account.
Recently Upwork made one more changes in case of connects. You can bid the projects with more number of connects. Instead of the required number of connects if you add extra connects while sending a proposal, then Upwork promises to rank your proposal at the top before the client.